New Brunswick Green leader calls for judicial review of Atcon deal

CP

FREDERICTON - New Brunswick's Green leader is calling for a judicial review to determine if a former Liberal government violated regulations by giving up its first right to money owed by the Atcon group of companies.

The auditor general said in a report this week she believes a regulation was violated when the cabinet of then-premier Shawn Graham gave Scotiabank first right to money covered by loan guarantees from the province to Atcon.

Green Leader David Coon says as a result, there needs to be an investigation into the legality of the change made by the cabinet in October 2009.

But Finance Minister Roger Melanson says there have already been many reports into the Atcon collapse that left taxpayers on the hook for almost $70 million.

He says the CEO of Opportunities New Brunswick is meeting with the auditor general to see how the recommendations in her report on Atcon can be implemented.

On Wednesday, Premier Brian Gallant rebuffed Opposition calls for a forensic audit of the financial assistance for Atcon.

He said the issue has been discussed for years and there was no new information in the auditor general's report.